South Korea's parliament impeaches President Yoon over martial law attempt

South Korean lawmakers have impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol over his failed martial law bid, with the opposition declaring a "victory of the people".

The vote took place on Saturday as hundreds of thousands took to the streets of Seoul in rival rallies for and against Yoon, who launched a failed attempt to impose martial law on December 3.

Out of 300 lawmakers, 204 voted to impeach the president on allegations of insurrection while 85 voted against it. Three abstained, with eight votes nullified.

With the impeachment, Yoon has been suspended from office while South Korea's Constitutional Court deliberates on the vote.

The court has 180 days to rule on Yoon's future.

If it backs his removal, Yoon will become the second president in South Korean history to be successfully impeached.

Prime Minister Han Duck-soo - now the nation's interim leader - told reporters he would "devote all my strength and efforts to ensure stable governance".

Two hundred votes were needed for the impeachment to pass, and opposition lawmakers needed to convince at least eight parliamentarians from Yoon's conservative People Power Party (PPP) to switch sides.

"Today's impeachment is the great victory of the people," opposition Democratic Party floor leader Park Chan-dae said following the vote.

'We, the people'

A Seoul police official said that at least 200,000 people had massed outside parliament in support of removing the president.

Choi Jung-ha, 52, danced in the street after the vote.

"Isn't it amazing that we, the people, have pulled this off together?" she said.

"I am 100 percent certain the Constitutional Court will side with the impeachment."

On the other side of Seoul near Gwanghwamun Square, police estimated 30,000 had rallied in support of Yoon, blasting patriotic songs and waving South Korean and American flags.

"Yoon had no choice but to declare martial law. I approve of every decision he has made as president," supporter Choi Hee-sun, 62, said before the vote.

'Future of South Korea'

There is precedent for the court to block impeachment, however.

In 2004, then-president Roh Moo-hyun was removed by parliament for alleged election law violations and incompetence, but the Constitutional Court later reinstated him.

The court currently only has six judges, meaning their decision must be unanimous.

Following the vote, parliament speaker Woo Won-shik said the assembly would seek to nominate three more judges to the court as soon as possible.

"The future of South Korea lies within its people," he said.

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Source: TRT